Tack button



TACK BUTTON Filed Nov. l2, 1940' A Lonamzfz. ewig,

Patented Sept. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE TACK BUTTON LeonardR. Carley, Watertown, Conn., assignor to The Patent Button Company,Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application November 12,1940, Serial No. 365,371

1 Claim.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements .in tack buttons foruse on overalls, Work clothes, etc., and has for an object to provide arelatively inexpensive button to manufacture.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a button withthe standard or conventional metal back or shell, a cap on which will bestamped the insignia, together with a slug or illler of pre-moldedBakelite or other similar forms of plastic.

A further object of the invention is to provide a relatively inexpensivebutton utilizing a standard form of cap and shell together with a novelslug or insert which is relatively light in weight and wh-ich is formedto tightly grip or clench the prong of the metal fastener when driven upin the bore of said slug.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a button which doesaway with the conventional form of metal vise or anvil and instead has aplastic ller with a straight central bore to receive the prong of a tackfastener, which iiller will also well support the cap and thus preventthe same from being bent or damaged when passed through a wringer.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a relativelyinexpensive button with a premolded insert, which insert is lighter inweight than the conventional vises and anvils used in tack buttons, sothat each button will Weigh approximately two-thirds of what theordinary button weighs that is provided with a steel vise or anchor.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certainnew and novel arrangements and combination of parts, as will behereinafter more full'yV described and pointed out in the claim.

Referring now to the drawing showing a preferred embodiment, I

Fig. l is a top plan view of the button on a greatly enlarged scale;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 but showing the button as attached to agarment;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the Bakelite slug or filler;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the slug or filler.

Referring now to the drawing, and for the moment to Fig. 2. there isshown a conventional button back or metal shell I having the integralhub 2 and the upwardly and outwardly extending flange 3. The bottom ofthe hub is provided with the opening l to receive the prong of a tackfastener, as will be later mentioned.

As also may be seen in Figs. 2 and 3, thereis tightly fitted within theshell I the Bakelite slug or filler 5, which likewise has an integralhub 6 and the head or body portion 1. 'I'he upper surface 8 is slightlyarcuate and the periphery is beveled on its under surface, as at 9. Inother words, the outline of the slug conforms generally to the outlineof the shell, the diameter of the head, however, being slightly lessthan the diameter of the shell across the flange. as may be seen inFigs. 2 and 3. The hub 6 is provided with the central bor-e I0 toreceive a prong of a tack fastener, as will be shortly mentioned.

Fitted over the shell and slug in the usual manner is the cap II withits stamped insignia I2, and in the present instance, I have shown theletters P P Co, although, of course, the insignia or design may be asdesired. The cap II is provided with a peripheral flange I2', which issecured in the usual manner about the ange 8 of the shell.

It will be noticed that the pre-molded slug or iiller of Bakelitetightly ts within the shell and down within the hub, while the height ofthe slug is such that it will well support the cap 3 when the button isin its assembled condition.

The .button calls for a. special form of tack fastener, that is, onewherein the prong of the tack is not to be deformed but is to expand thewalls about the opening, so that the walls will tightly grip the prongof the fastener and thus hold the button head to its cloth.

In Fig. 3, I have shown a fastener I3 with its shank I4, which isiluted, as at I5, and has the pointed end I6 to pierce the cloth Ilduring the attaching operation. The diameter of the prong Il is greaterthan the diameter of the bore I0 and the fastener, of course, has to bedriven through the cloth and through this opening of the shell and intothe bore of the Bakelite slug with a relatively great pressure. Thiswill cause the walls about the bore to tightly grip the uted prong andhold the button securely to its cloth.

I have found in actual practice that a button formed in this manner,when once attached, will withstand the hard usage to which it is to beput and will prevent the button from ever becoming accidentallydisengaged from its cloth. By utilizing the metal shell which surroundsthe hub. the danger of fracturing the slug in the attaching 'operationis greatly lessened, and even 'Bakelite is nearly six times less thanthat of steel, it will be seen that the button is a relatively lightone, which is an importantlfactor in the freight or express charges forbuttons shipped in quantities.

Finally. it will be understood'that the slug is to be Vpre-molded andthen forced within the shell.

and as the contour of the slug follows that of the shell, it is a simplematter from an assembling point of view to drop' or fit the slug in theshell in a rotary dial press.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a button whichconsists of but three partsa shell and a cap together with a slug orller which may be readily assembled within the shell and thus doing awaywith the necessity of further vises or anvils, the weight of which ismuch greater than the present filler.

It will be understood, ofcourse, that although Y I have shown a buttonhaving a dome-shaped surface, this is only illustrative, and the buttonmay have a flat top or a concave top. Also, it will be understood that Ihave'shown the slug l vas being bevelled onsits under surface but acurved surface might be just as serviceable.

Furthermore, the button isV nearly vas strong and rigid as a solidbutton, and after once attached cannot be removed except by destroyingthe button or the garment to' which it is attached.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

A ltack .button including' a metal body shell having a hub. the saidshell provided with a peripheral upstanding rim along its upper edge, apre-molded plastic slug also having a hub and said plastic slug tightlyfitted within and filling said shell, the bottom of the shell beingperforated and the plastic slug having a bore centrally thereof inregistry with said perforation in the bottom of the hub of the shell,the specific gravity of said slug being substantially six times lessthan that of a steel slug to thereby provide a relatively light button,a metal cap provided with a downwardly extending peripheral rim grippedabout the aforementioned peripheral rim of the body shell to therebyhold the slug tightly within the shell, the said cap also supported onits under surface by the upper surface of said slug, the bore in theslug terminating short of the top surface of said slug and the said boreadapted to receive vthe prong of a fastener slightly larger in diameterthan the diameter of the bore ofsaid slugvto thereby tightly hold thebutton in its attached position when the prong of a tack fastener isdriven into said bore.

LEONARD R. CARLEY.,

